Fall-board for pianos and the like.



E. T. TURNEY.

FALL BOARD FOR PIANOS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2a, 1908.

Patented July 18, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE T. TURNEY, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ARTISTA PIANOPLAYER COMPANY, OF MILAN, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 18, 1911.

Application filed April 23, 1908. Serial No. 428,780.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE T. TURNEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rock Island, in the county of Rock Island and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fall-Boards for Pianos and the Like, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in fall boards for pianos and thelike more particularly adapted for use in pianos having pneumaticplaying attachments, and the primary object of the invention is toprovide an improved, simple and etlicient device of this character whichis adapted to fold compactly in a very small space and one which willnot project into the casing to interfere with the pneumatic actions.

A further object is to provide an improved device of this characterwhich may be readily removed to permit access to the pneumatic actions.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new anduseful objects, as will appear, the invention consists in the featuresof novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement of theseveral parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown inthe accompanying drawing, illustrating an embodiment of the invention,and in which Figure 1 is a detail sectional view showing a portion of apiano casing with an improved fall board attached thereto constructed inaccordance with the principles of this invention. Fig. 2 is a detailperspective view of a portion of the fall board. Fig. 3 is a sectionalview on line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. l is a sectional view on line 1- 1 ofFig. 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawing and in the presentexemplification of the invention, the numeral 10 designates a portion ofthe casing of the musical instrument, 11 the keys, 12 a portion of thepanel above the keys, and 13 is a portion of the pneumatic action.

The shelf 14 is supported adjacent the lower end of the panel 12 andprojects for any desired distance beyond the front there of. Dependingfrom the forward end of the shelf is an upright member 15, which ispivotally supported by its upper end as at 16 adjacent the shelf 14 andthis upright member 15 terminates above the keys 11.

Secured to the lower face of the shelf 14 are any suitable number ofyielding members 17 preferably in the form of springs, the freeextremities 18 of which are adapted to engage the rear face of theupright member 13, preferably adjacent the free end thereof and tend tohold the upright member in an inclined position by forcing the free endthereof forwardly.

A fall board 18 is pivotally supported as at 19 (see Fig. 3) to a finedportion of the casing 10 in such a position that the rear edge 20thereof will stand adjacent the lower end of the upright member 15 andthis member 15 is provided with a forwardly projecting portion 21 whichis adapted to project over or beyond the edge 20 of the fall board 18when the latter is lowered to form a dust proof joint between theupright 15 and the fall board 18 and the parts are held in this positionby means of the yielding members or springs 17 when the board 18 islowered. Obviously the portion 21 does not project over the edge 20 ofthe fall board a sufiicient distance to cause the parts to be locked orjammed, but only to such an extent as to permit free movement of theparts.

Suitable supports 22 may be provided which are adapted to rest upon afixed portion 23 of the casing for holding the free end of the board 18,and a member 2 1 is pivotally supported as at to the free end of thefall board and. is adapted to close the space between the fall board andthe keys when the fall board is lowered to the position as shown in Fig.1.

Projecting beyond. the rear edge 20 of the fall board. 18 are spacedarms or projections 26, which may be of any desired length and thesearms project into the casing beyond the upright member 15. The casing ofthe instrument is provided with slots or openings 27 which may be formedin any desired or suitable manner and to the walls of these slots oropenings may be secured a suitable fabric, such as felt or the like.

When the fall board is raised from the position shown in full. lines inFig. 1 of the drawings, the upright member 15 will be moved about itspoint of pivotal support 16 and against the tension of the yieldingmembers 17 by the rising movement of the fall board, which will causethe latter to engage the forward edge of the projecting portion 21 andmove the member 15 to the position shown in dotted lines in 1. is thefall board is raised the spaced arms at) will enter the slots oropenings 27 and will frictionally engage the walls thereof to hold thefall board in its raised position. hen the fall board is lowered thefriction of the arms 26 against the walls of the openings will beovercome and the yielding members 17 will force the upright member 15into the position shown in full lines in. Fig. 1.

\Vith this improved construction, it will be apparent that the board maybe folded in a very compact space and that it will not project into thecasing to interfere with the pneumatic actions, thereby providing thenecessary space for the actions without increasing the width of thepiano casing.

In order that the invention might be fully understood the details of theforegoing embodiment have been thus specifically described, but

What I claim as new is- 1. In a musical instrument, the combination of ashelf, a pivoted upright member, a fall board pivoted to a fixed part ofthe casing, a portion of said member projecting over the adjacent edgeof the board, and means for holding the uprightmember ina position toproject over the said board when the latter is closed, said uprightmember being adapted to be moved about its pivot by the rising movementof the board.

2. In a musical instrument, the combination of a shelf, a pivotedupright member, a fall board pivoted to a fixed part of the casing, aportion of said member projecting over the adjacent edge of the boardwhen the latter is lowered, and yielding means tending normally to holdthe parts in such position, said member being adapted to be moved aboutits pivot by the board as the latter is raised and against the tensionof the said yielding means.

3. In a musical instrun'ient, the combina tion of a shelf, a pivotedupright member, a fall board pivoted to a fixed part of the casing, aportion of said member projecting over the adjacent edge of the boardwhen the latter is lowered, yielding means tending normally to hold, theparts in such position, said member being adapted to be moved about itspivot by the board as the latter is raised and against the tension ofthe said yielding means, and separate means for holding the board 111 araised positlon.

l. In a musical instrument, the combina tion of a shelf, a pivotedupright member, a fall board pivoted to a fixed part of the casing, aportion of said member projecting over the adjacent edge of the boardwhen the latter is lowered, yielding means tending normally to hold theparts in such position, said member being adapted to be moved about itspivot by the board as the latter is raised and against the tension ofthe said yielding means, and friction means for holding the board in araised position.

In a musical instrument, the combination of a shelf, a pivoted uprightmember, a fall board adjacent the free end of the upright member, saidboard being pivoted to a fixed part of the casing, said upright memberbeing provided with a portion project ing over the adjacent edge of theboard when the latter is lowered, yielding means for holding the memberin such position, said member being adapted to be moved about its pivotby the board as the latter is raised, and means supported by the boardand adapted to frictionally engage the eas- .ing to hold the boardraised and against ,he tension of the said yielding means (3. In amusical instrument, the combination of a shelf, a pivoted i'iprightmember, a fall board adjacent the free end of the upright member, saidboard being pivoted to a fixed part of the casing, said upright memberbeing provided with a portion projecting over the adjacent edge of theboard when the latter is lowered, yielding means for holding the memberin such position, said member being adapted to be moved about its pivotby the board as the latter is raised, and an arm projecting f1 om theboard and beyond the edge thereof, the cusing being provided with anopening and said arm being adapted to enter the opening and frictionallyengage the wall thereof to hold the board in a raised position andagainst the tension of the said yielding means.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 10th day of April A. D.1908.

EUGENE T. 'ITURNEY.

Witnesses DAVID Sears, (1. A. Lrrr'r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

